Voss says “Al-Rawda massacre aims to frighten Egyptians”

by : Yarah El-yamani

Voss says Al-Rawda massacre aims to frighten Egyptians

Terrorists use Islam as a pretext to commit violence

A German observer of  Islamist movements sees the terrorist assault on North Sinai’s Al-Rawda Mosque is one of the tragic incidents that the world experiences, warning Germany of such attacks by the extremists who have infiltrated as refugees over the past two years.

In his special interview with  Al-Bawabah news, Albert voss, professor of  eastern and Islamic studies in Cologne University, extends his  sincere condolences to the Egyptian people on Al-Rawda’s massacre which claimed hundreds of lives and injured dozens during Friday prayers.

Voss commented on the attack “I think the reason behind targeting prayers by ISIS (Daesh in Arabic)  is to create a state of shock and panic in the society to make people afraid of them” he said , adding that Egypt does not suffer from sectarian conflict such as some Arab countries, so this attack was aimed at announcing their existence.

On the issue of refugees’ crisis in Germany, the German professor alerted that there were some extremists who entered Germany as refugees and they would pose a serious threat to the country.

Voss also cast suspicion on refugees’ position in his country in terms of providing them with work and creating a decent life for them.

“Germany’s policy on refugees represents a considerable challenge to Chancellor Angela Merkel. It was clear from the recent election that Merkel lost a large number of votes , as a result of her approach to this matter, ” he said.

Voss referred that German society was divided on this issue.

Some was supporting Merkel’s policy and the other not.

“Germany opened its border to more than 600,000 refugees, most of whom are jobless, so she realized that this huge number is enough and the international community should bear its responsibility for this crisis,” he elaborates.

The German researcher sees the image of Islam in Europe is negative and western media strived to cement it considerably.

But he ascribed that to historic origins stretching back over so many years, particularly when Europe lost the bulk of its lands by Ottoman empire.

“unfortunately, it is a negative image in the European mentality. I think it started to be changed after the end of WW2 and when the European community mingled with Muslims,” he said.

But he sees “the image of Islam would take 50 or 60 years to be fully altered in Europe, especially in issues relating to women,” he added.

The German professor signaled that there are some mosques dominated by Salafists and others controlled by Muslim Brotherhood, but they don’t abet people to do violent acts according to German law.

“German government does not want Nazis again. It will not repeat it in the form of Islamists,” he said.

the German observer of  Islamist movements said the reason behind radicalization of young people is poverty and darkness.

“terrorists groups use Islam to instigate people against their countries, exploiting the hard economic circumstances and marginalization for exercising terrorism on society” he said.